Colin Carson, professional volleyball player.
Those words are sweet music for the 23-year-old Prince George product, who has verbally committed to playing for Gentofte Volleyball Club of Denmark's First Division. Carson will leave for Copenhagen - Gentofte's home base - next Tuesday.
"It's pretty cool," Carson said of turning pro. "This is honestly something I've been hoping would be in my future for a while now. It's kind of a dream coming true."
Carson's jump to the professional level comes on the heels of a five-year career with the Thompson Rivers University WolfPack. Carson, a setter, found out about the opportunity in Denmark from TRU women's coach Chad Grimm.
"The coach of the [Danish] team I'm playing for is [Grimm's] brother-in-law," Carson said. "The coach contacted Chad and said, 'Hey, I don't have a setter for next year, do you happen to know anyone who's looking for a team?' Chad passed it on to me and then the coach contacted me."
Gentofte is getting a guy with impressive credentials. In 2013-14, Carson's final season with the Kamloops-based WolfPack, he finished first in Canadian Interuniversity Sport in assists, with 929 in 85 sets (average of 10.93 per set, also a CIS-high). On a team level, he captained TRU to a 13-9 regular-season record and to a bronze medal in the Canada West playoffs. The following week, he was handed the Dale Iwanozko Student-Athlete Award, which goes to a CIS volleyball player who has demonstrated excellence on the court, in the classroom and in the community.
Over the course of his university career, Carson finished second all-time in Canada West assists with 3,350. He didn't miss a single match and played almost exclusively as a starter. In 2010, he earned a spot on the junior national team and helped it win international silver at the Norceca championship.
Carson has agreed to a one-year contract with Gentofte, regularly among the top teams in Denmark. The financial terms of the deal are confidential but the club will look after his accommodations and expenses.
Carson, a 2009 graduate of Duchess Park secondary school, said he's "really excited" about beginning this new phase of volleyball and life.
"I'm not too sure what to expect or anything but I'm looking forward to having a different experience," said Carson, who holds a business degree from Thompson Rivers. "Kamloops is great - being at TRU - but I'm looking forward to trying something new."
The season will stretch from September to April.
While in Copenhagen, Carson will also be doing some coaching. As part of his contract, he will guide the Gentofte women's team. Over the years he has coached at various camps and, earlier this summer, was an assistant on a B.C. 17-and-under boys team that placed fourth at the Western Elite championships in Edmonton.
This week, Carson is back home, helping out at the WolfPack Volleyball Camp at CNC and the Civic Centre. The camp started Monday and runs through Thursday.
